Printer Buying Guide (Summer 2016)

wiredotter14 said:1) With an Epson, just buy the third-party ink right away—it's cheap.

2) You'll know immediately if the generics work. They either do or they don't. If they work, great, you've got low-cost printing. If they don't, you return the printer; worst case, you're out $17 for some generic ink.

You didn't give any actual suggestions, and honestly, I don't know why people claim bananas are healthy just because they're high in potassium—let's not get carried away.

But what happens when the Firmware automatically updates along with a new driver after six months, like it did with this Epson XP 225?

Then you've basically slipped on your own banana skin.

That's why before you buy any printer, you should actually use Google and do a quick search.

For instance: Google + Epson XP 225 + reviews.
Basically, check if anyone else had good or bad experiences with the device so you don't end up tripping over a banana peel and breaking your neck.

What's a new driver gonna do for you?

Besides, this kind of thing can happen with any printer out there.
It’s completely unclear what you're even suggesting (if you're actually suggesting anything).

wiredotter14 said:Why would you even need a new driver?

Besides, this could happen with any printer out there.
It’s totally unclear what you're actually suggesting (if you're even suggesting anything).

Clearly, you don't read forums.

The second someone runs into an issue with an MFP, Wi-Fi connectivity, or whatever, the standard advice is "go grab the latest drivers."

And how do you know the package doesn't include the latest firmware that works in tandem with those drivers? Just like in the case above.

darkowl72 said:http://www.office.xerox.com/printers...3320/enhr.html
https://www.xerox.com/index/enhr.html
https://www.amazon.com/Xerox-3320-DN.../dp/B0088YPIWU
https://www.staples.com/printer-supplies
https://www.google.com/search?q=laser+printers+with+low+cost+per+page
http://www.toptenreviews.com/compute...phaser-review/
https://www.amazon.com/Xerox-3320-DN.../dp/B0088YPIWU

Go with laser, definitely. The Xerox 3320 is actually one of those rare high-end machines you can reliably track down here in the States. You might find Brother or OKI models occasionally, but their local presence has been pretty much non-existent for years now. Honestly, other major brands tend to overlook us because we’re just such a small, uninteresting market; they mostly just send over cheap all-in-ones, while nobody really bothers with the effort of selling a few serious enterprise printers a year. I suppose that's just how things go in many places—a somewhat thin, technologically lagging market where it doesn't seem worth the investment for the big players...

This particular Xerox handles a monthly volume of about 80,000 pages, and a single large toner cartridge (rated for 10,000 pages) should cost roughly $333, which means you're looking at maybe $0.03 per print. I'd say that's actually quite decent. If you opt for third-party toners, it gets even cheaper, I guess. It offers plenty of features, it's reliable, and it's built like a tank, so if it fits your budget, it's probably your best bet.

If for some reason that doesn't work for you, then I suppose you should start looking into OKI or Brother models—maybe something like a newer Brother HL-L5100DN —though you'll probably have to call around to see if anyone actually has them in stock...

Thanks for such an exhaustive response!

darkowl72 said:http://www.office.xerox.com/printers...3320/enhr.html
https://www.xerox.com/index/enhr.html
https://www.amazon.com/Xerox-3320-DN.../dp/B0088YPIWU
https://www.staples.com/printer-deals
https://www.google.com/search?q=printer+criteria
http://www.toptenreviews.com/compute...phaser-review/
https://www.amazon.com/Xerox-3320-DN.../dp/B0088YPIWU

Go laser, definitely. The Xerox 3320 is actually one of those rare high-end printers you can reliably find here in the States. You might stumble upon some Brother or OKI models every now and then, but their local distribution isn't exactly thriving, if you know what I mean. Honestly, most major brands tend to overlook smaller markets like ours because we aren't seen as a massive profit center, so we mostly get stuck with cheap all-in-ones while nobody really cares about moving a few heavy-duty units a year. It’s a bit of a sad story, really—just a somewhat underdeveloped market where big players don't feel like putting in the effort...

Now, this Xerox handles a monthly volume of about 80,000 pages. One large toner cartridge (rated for 10,000 pages) goes for roughly $333, which brings the cost down to about $0.03 per page. Personally, I think that's quite decent. If you go with third-party toners, it gets even cheaper, I suppose. This machine has plenty of features, it's solid, and it's built like a tank, so if it fits your budget, it’s probably your best bet.

If for some reason that doesn't work for you, I guess you could try looking at OKI or Brother models—maybe something like the newer Brother HL-L5100DN —though you'll likely have to call around just to see if they actually have any in stock...

P.S.

Regarding point 4.
The printer can just be a standalone unit

(though I'm certainly open to suggestions for an all-in-one with a scanner!)

hollowmarlin27 said:Clearly, you aren't reading the forums.

Whenever someone runs into issues with an MF device, Wi-Fi connectivity, or whatever, the standard advice is always the same: download the latest drivers.

And how do you know the package doesn't include the latest firmware designed to work with those specific drivers? Like in the case mentioned above.

Did they actually give you any real advice? Anything constructive? Based on your logic, everyone should just buy an HP and keep a fat wallet ready for those overpriced original inks.

wiredotter14 said:Did they actually give you any real advice? Anything constructive? Because according to you, everyone should just
buy an HP and hand over their wallet for those overpriced original inks, right?

Not even close.

Nothing useful at all.

It’s all because of that No. 1 on lobbying law.

If you actually want to help someone long-term, you give them the tools to take care of themselves.
Otherwise, if you just want to help for the moment, you just hand out welfare.

boldfox372 said:P.S.

Point 4.
The printer should just be a printer.

(though I'm open to suggestions involving a scanner!)

Smart move.

Manufacturers take some basic printer worth a few hundred bucks, slap some useless gadgets on it, and sell it to consumers who feel the need to have every shiny new toy for double the price.

Honestly, it’s way smarter to spend that extra cash on a bare-bones printer. Once you start adding all those bells and whistles, you’re just inviting more headaches and more things to break. The actual printer itself usually stays reliable. If you buy the junk pile, you end up with nothing working anyway, and twelve months later, you're right back to buying the latest overpriced gadget mess.

As for whoever is No. 1 on lobbying, they're probably rubbing their hands together right now.

hollowmarlin27 said:Not even in my wildest dreams.

Nothing concrete here.

You've lost it. 🙂

wiredotter14 said:You've officially lost it. 🙂

Not even close.

If you want a real story, we can get specific—either about sublimation printers or those food-grade ink setups. Your call.

And honestly, it’s because those printers just aren't even in the running for being No. 1. In our market, the demand for that kind of application is so low that it wouldn't even come close to threatening anyone's top spot.

So, just do the math yourself. Add one plus one and draw your own conclusions about the state of consumer printers.

Honestly, if you’re just looking for a printer to run some cheap, branded replacement cartridges, you probably won't care about any of this.

I run my printers on unbranded third-party inks and haven't hit a single snag, even though we’re churning out about 10k pages a month

Fair point, honestly, I couldn't care less about that debate anyway

wiredotter14 said:I use printers with unbranded third-party inks and haven't run into a single issue, even though we're cranking out about 10k pages a month

Fair point. Honestly, I couldn't care less about that debate anyway.

Look, there really isn't an issue here. Like I said, being No. 1 on lobbying is a pretty interesting angle. As soon as you step outside the usual boundaries, people just lose interest in the discussion.

Same goes for anyone else who sees the connection—just start a new thread.

SPECIAL PRINTERS: Sublimation, Food-grade, and DTG printers.

That way, they can get info straight from the source on that specific topic. They can pick whatever fits their daily workflow.

Honestly, after reading all this, I feel more confused than when I started. Or maybe I just know more now—which makes deciding even harder. A cheaper printer usually means pricier ink that runs out way too fast. There are just too many variables at play here, and frankly, the information overload is driving me crazy.
I’ve bumped up my budget to $333 (including a full set of ink), and I’ve heard nothing but good things about Epson printers—plus, that three-year warranty they offer is a huge selling point for me.
Right now, I'm eyeing the Epson L310 and the Epson L220.
The thing that's tripping me up with these two models is that I don't see any mention of Wi-Fi connectivity or Android support anywhere. That's pretty strange to me—having that kind of wireless access is an absolute must-have.

Chris Mitchell4 said:After reading all this, I’m even more lost. Or maybe I know more now, which just makes deciding harder. Cheaper printer $\rightarrow$ pricier ink that runs out faster. There are way too many variables at play; I’m about to lose my mind from information overload.
I bumped up my budget to $333 (for a full set of colors), and I’ve heard pretty good things about Epson printers. Plus, that three-year warranty they offer is tempting.
So, right now, I’m looking at the Epson L310 and the Epson L220.
The thing that's tripping me up with these two models is that I don't see any mention of Wi-Fi or Android connectivity anywhere. That’s kind of weird, because being able to connect like that is a total dealbreaker for me.

Let me recap everything once more.

The Epson L310 goes for about $333. It comes with 4 * 70 ml ink bottles. Out of those 4 * 70 ml, you can really only use 4 * 50 ml, because you have to leave 4 * 20 ml in the system to prevent air from getting in. Because if you forget that and air gets sucked in, you’re facing a massive cluster... Basically, for refills, you'll need to buy a new set of 4 * $23 = $93. Or, if we want to be fair in our comparison, you'd need another set of 4 * $23. That’s another $93. So, you've got the printer plus roughly 4 * 200 ml of ink that you'll actually consume over its lifespan, bringing the total to $520. Honestly, it's not a bad deal.

For comparison:
If you grab a similar device but without the CISS, like a PX 355 or something similar, it would be $200.

And if you go with compatible cartridges in the same capacity—say 4 * 200ml—you're looking at about 200 compatible cartridges. Since one compatible cartridge holds about 3.5 to 5.5 ml, which is basically the same as an original Epson cartridge. So, 200 * $6.75 == $1333. That's for the same number of prints. And of course, the lifespan using compatibles instead of a CISS unit would be $1533.

However, if you don't plan on burning through more than 4 * 5 = 20 * 20 = $133 = roughly 100 ml worth of cartridges during its intended lifespan—which is a pretty realistic scenario—then this option costs you $333. In that case, the L series is still the smarter move. Naturally, Epson engineered all of this specifically to kill off the competition from third-party ink companies.

Now for the third option: If you get a PX 355 paired with continuous ink cartridges, the cost for that printer plus 4 * 200ml (based on its verified lifespan) comes to 600 + 300 + $50. Which puts you at roughly $333. That’s about $167 cheaper than the first version.

Fourth option: If you pick up the same setup as a refurbished unit, you'll get a slightly slower printer, but mechanically it's identical in size, build quality, and lifespan. Combined with the 4 * 200 ml, it comes to about $183. Meaning it's $333 cheaper.

Just don't go thinking the Epson L310 is built better than the Epson SX 130 MF in any way other than having a superior print head.

Now, the Epson SX 4450 is miles ahead of the SX 130.

And the Epson DX 3850 is essentially the professional-grade version compared to the L 310.

Chris Mitchell4 said:No, I'm just confused because for those two models, there's no mention of Wi-Fi connectivity or Android support, which seems weird to me. I absolutely need that kind of connection.

There’s nothing to be confused about—those are just the bottom-of-the-barrel budget models. If it isn't listed in the specs, it doesn't exist.

The slightly more expensive ones actually have:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/printer-multifunction...wi-fi-100720040

Need some advice. Looking for an all-in-one printer under $167 that can handle cheap third-party ink. I'm in either New York City or near Goldman Sachs...
It’s for a teacher printing schoolwork, so mostly just black and white stuff...

Should I hit up Best Buy, Staples, or somewhere better? 😁

Robert Rodriguez2, how many pages are we looking at per year? There are printers in this price range that take third-party ink, but the selection is pretty lousy. You really need to run the numbers on what the ink costs would be for at least the first year.

wiredotter14 said:Robert Rodriguez2, what’s the yearly print volume look like? You can find printers at that price point using third-party ink, but the options suck. Gotta figure out how much you'll burn through in ink during year one alone.

Not sure, maybe 300-350 pages a month.

The HP Envy 5000 used to be a huge hit because the ink is dirt cheap, but you can only find it at the local Best Buy.
The newer models are out, but the ink costs a bit more. Check Amazon.
It’s not like you're printing a novel here, so spending 40-$17 on ink isn't going to break the bank.
As for reliability? Honestly, if that $167 machine breaks, you better make sure it's covered under that 24-month warranty. You aren't buying a Mercedes for this kind of money.

Robert Rodriguez2 said:I need some help finding an all-in-one device by $167 that uses cheap third-party ink. I'm located in New York City or maybe near Visa...
The printer is for school materials since the user is a teacher (mostly black and white stuff)...

Maybe Best Buy, Staples, or somewhere better 😁

Look

There’s this old saying we have here.

>> Testing the waters with the first few kittens

And I'm afraid that's exactly how it works with first printers.

Why?

Just ask anyone. Common sense usually doesn't bend itself to serve someone's corporate interests.